The Monroe avocado (''Persea americana'' 'Monroe') is a commercial named
cultivar
A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture, ...
of
avocado
The avocado (''Persea americana'') is a medium-sized, evergreen tree in the laurel family (Lauraceae). It is native to the Americas and was first domesticated by Mesoamerican tribes more than 5,000 years ago. Then as now it was prized for i ...
that originated in
south Florida
South Florida is the southernmost region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is one of Florida's three most commonly referred to directional regions; the other two are Central Florida and North Florida. South Florida is the southernmost part of th ...
.
It became popular for its production habits and relative cold-hardiness and is widely grown in
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
.
History
The original tree was grown from a seed that grew under a '
Waldin' avocado tree in
Homestead, Florida
Homestead is a city within Miami-Dade County in the U.S. state of Florida, between Biscayne National Park to the east and Everglades National Park to the west. The population was 80,737 as of the 2020 census. Homestead is primarily a Miami sub ...
, about 1932 on the property of J.J.L. Phillips. The tree first fruited in 1935 and 'Monroe' was patented in the name of Joseph R. Byrum (manager of Phillips' grove in Homestead) on August 24, 1937, receiving plant patent number 261. It was likely a hybrid of West Indian and Guatemalan types and was reportedly a cross between the 'Waldin' and 'Eagle Rock' cultivars.
One of the characteristics 'Monroe' inherited from its Guatemalan-type parent was some degree of cold hardiness. In addition, the trees produced a large, elliptical-shaped fruit with good eating qualities and were good producers. These traits helped establish 'Monroe' as a commercial cultivar in Florida, where it was also recommended for home growing. Today 'Monroe' is grown on a large scale in Florida. Examples of 'Monroe are planted in the collections of the
USDA
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of com ...
's germplasm repository in
Miami
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
, Florida, the University of Florida's Tropical Research and Education Center in Homestead, FL and the Miami-Dade
Fruit and Spice Park
The Fruit & Spice Park, formally known as the Preston B. Bird/Mary Heinlein Fruit & Spice Park, is a 37-acre park located in the heart of Redland, Florida, and is the only botanical garden of its kind in the United States. This park is operated b ...
, also in Homestead.
Description
The fruit averages about 2 pounds in weight at maturity, which generally occurs from December to January in Florida.
The skin is green, glossy and thick. Monroe trees produce B-type flowers.
References
{{Avocados
Avocado cultivars